Can A Family Member Be An IHSS Provider?

A family member can become an IHSS provider, but they must satisfy their state’s requirements, such as a criminal background check. IHSS can also pay a professional who’s registered via the IHSS Provider Program. The person chosen as a provider can receive payment for helping the senior with day-to-day tasks, such as housework, personal care and meal preparation. The purpose of IHSS is to help seniors who may otherwise need to move into a long-term care facility remain active members of society and continue to live in their own homes for as long as possible.

The IHSS program helps eligible seniors remain in their own homes by offering financial assistance to pay for support with activities of daily living (ADL). To qualify for IHSS, a health care professional must confirm the person requires assistance with ADLs. As part of the application process, the applicant is assessed to determine which tasks they require help with and how much support is needed. Based on this assessment, they’re given a budget to pay for support for a certain number of hours per week. Seniors or their loved ones who disagree with the result of the needs assessment can request more IHSS hours by going through the appeals process.

Seniors can hire a professional to provide in-home care, or they can use their IHSS budget to pay an approved friend or family member to assist them. The maximum hours that a person can work per week as an IHSS provider is 66 hours, and this assumes they’re supporting two individuals. No formal qualifications are required for someone to provide IHSS for a loved one. However, individual states may have age or residency requirements. Providers may also be required to complete fingerprinting, orientation training and a background check.